Politicising Wildlife

The Minister of Environment and Wildlife Resources has come under heavy scrutiny following the appointment of three honorary....

A wrangle over election ethics

Two and a half months after entertaining nominations for this year’s parliamentary election, the National Elections Commission (NEC) had published...

Cure for COVID: Cooperation, not conflicts

In politics, there is neither a permanent enemy nor a permanent friend, only permanent interests. This was amply demonstrated in Skull Island, a 2017 King Kong movie.

Street dogs too need love and affection - EDITORIAL

There is much talk about stray dogs these days and the authorities have come under the spotlight for treating some of these friendly four-legged animals in a cruel manner.

Finding paths to being enslaved by the USA

The USA is in the news. Exposed. Exposed to those who believed the balderdash about that country being the greatest success story of democracy, freedom and the good life. Whereas other nations as bad or worse are crude, the USA is cute in sweetening the bitter, perfuming the foul-smelling and wall-papering over the grotesque. Used to be. That would be more correct.

General Election Amid COVID-19 and Health Guidelines

The 75-day curfew, though relaxed in stages in some parts of the country, was finally relaxed countrywide from Saturday, June 6 with travel also permitted to and from the districts of Gampaha and Colombo. This will to a large extent help Sri Lanka return to normal by resuming day-to-day business activities and resuscitating the economy, which was more or less lying dormant, amid the COVID-19 onslaught.

Where will Mangala head for ?

Former MP for the Matara district Mangala Samaraweera decided to quit parliamentary politics on Tuesday despite having tendered nominations to contest the general elections on the ticket of Samagi Jana Balawegaya(SJB).

Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 response and the challenge ahead

Sri Lanka’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak has, comparatively speaking, produced commendable results. Tracing the trajectory of the response, it may be seen that early moves to prepare for what lay ahead served well to mitigate the outcome.

Dismissal of FR petitions: What follows the Supreme Court Decision?

The almost feverish celebrations with which some of the SLPP celebrated the Supreme Court decision to refuse leave to hear the petitions....

Castle Street Hospital - EDITORIAL

The Castle Street Hospital which has played a pivotal role in improving the standards of maternal and child health care in Sri Lanka with a dedicated staff turns 70 years this year.

Racism disguised as patriotism

It is amazing and difficult to believe that so many white Americans, Europeans and Australians have so far been anti-racists or a

Presidential task force and law and order

Last week President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established “a Presidential Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society.” The title might sound grimly comical, right off the ‘1984’ or the local comedy, ‘Puswe

Sri Lanka, why be an echo when you could be a voice?

Sri Lanka plunged into a vortex of seething rage and sheer despair when the CCTV footage of a 14-year-old autistic boy being brutally assaulted by policemen triggered....

Notes on COVID-19: Towards the real meaning of “Ape Kama”

A big part of apekama, or our-ness, comes from being proud of who we are. Contrary to those who claim that ethnicity is meaningless.....

Why Singapore ‘Pooh-Poohed’ Sirisena’s 21000 Signatures?

The Daily Mirror front page story, titled, “I placed signature 21,000 times to extradite Mahendran from Singapore: MS”, it further stated, ‘how he placed his signature 21,000 times...

Lessons of rioting and anger sweeping the US - EDITORIAL

Since May 29, the worst civil unrest in decades erupted in cities across the USA, sparked by anger at the death of a black American man killed by a white policeman in Minneapolis.

Constitutional crisis: Back to square one

After the Supreme Court five-judge-bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya unanimously refused to grant leave to proceed on Tuesday with eight fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the dissolution of Parliament and holding the general election on June 20, all issues are back to square one.

Biodiversity: Urgent and existential - EDITORIAL

The United Nations yesterday celebrated one of the most important days of the year — World Environment Day.

A new beginning

The coming of Arahat Mahinda from ancient Jambudeepa with a retinue of five monks and a layman to Sri Lanka on a full moon day....

Dhamma Set-in-motion: State’s Constitutional Right

Tissa, Tissa! The King was shocked as nobody would dare identify him by name. “Samanamayam maharaja - dhamma rajassa sravaka.....

Is there help for Sri Lankans stranded in Kuwait? - EDITORIAL

The migrant workers’ affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and stranded mostly in the Middle East is a matter of concern.

George Floyd protests: Decisive time to end racism

The slogan ‘Black lives matter’ is a damning indictment of the United States’ failure to rise as a full-fledged democracy.

UNP asserts itself in full measure against SJB

Following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the petitions challenging the move to take polling on June 20 and the dissolution of Parliament, the country is gearing up into election mode. It will be facilitated by the improved signs of recovery from the COVID- 19 pandemic.

Arumugam Thondaman A struggle left incomplete

The death of Minister Arumugam Thondaman (56) a few days ago is sure to affect the struggle of Tamil estate workers to survive the 30 days of the month. The living conditions in tea estates is appalling to say the least. The late minister was part of discussions with plantation companies or Gotabaya Rajapaksa; when the latter was bidding for presidency last year, in attempts to raise the living conditions of estate workers.

I can’t breathe, Ms Teplitz

On May 25, 2020, something terrible happened in Colombo. A set of police officers accosted a citizen who did not belong to the majority community. The man was suspected of giving a bad cheque. He was assaulted, handcuffed and even as he said ‘mata husmaganna bae (‘I can’t breathe), one of the officers pinned him down, knee on neck. The man died.

SC dismisses FR petitions; let’s get set for elections

The eagerly awaited ruling, of the five-Judge Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya as Chairman and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardene and Vijith Malalgoda, was delivered today with the refusal to grant leave to proceed to the seven fundamental rights petitions challenging the presidential proclamation dissolving Parliament on March 2 and the Election Commission fixing June 20 as the dat

Practising personal safety for a safer, virus-free world

Something we could all use in today’s world torn apart with the deadly virus. Certainly an Act of God from which there seems to be no respite.

Prevention is better than cure

It is a known fact that, it takes a longer time period to eliminate Covid-19 from the world. Therefore, as a country it is not satisfactory to wait.....

The digital flash mob

The online flash mob is here to stay. Without this ability to bring voices together organically or otherwise social currents of today would not be the same anymore.

Why this vicious attack on Saroja Sirisena? - EDITORIAL

There are severe attacks on the newly appointed Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London Saroja Sirisena. There were several attacks on Ms. Sirisena...